ONE Spirit Mobilizing all Nazarenes

Jonah 4:9–11 CEB

9 God said to Jonah, “Is your anger about the shrub a good thing?” Jonah said, “Yes, my anger is good—even to the point of death!” 10 But the Lord said, “You ‘pitied’ the shrub, for which you didn’t work and which you didn’t raise; it grew in a night and perished in a night. 11 Yet for my part, can’t I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than one hundred twenty thousand people who can’t tell their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”

ONE Spirit Mobilizing all Nazarenes

Have you ever been disturbed by something or frustrated by something? So much so it forced you take action?

Frustration can sometimes be a catalyst for positive action. When we are frustrated, we can channel that energy into making a difference and helping others. We can use our frustration as motivation to take action and make the world a better place.

This encounter of God in Jonah’s life is a picture of a man who was very frustrated. He was so frustrated that he wanted to die.

The problem with his frustration was that he was angry for all the wrong reasons.

There was a man named Jack who was extremely angry at his neighbor. The neighbor had built a fence that obstructed Jack's view of the beautiful sunset that he enjoyed every evening. Jack was so angry that he couldn't even sleep at night. He would toss and turn, his mind consumed by thoughts of how to get back at his neighbor.

One day, Jack decided to confront his neighbor about the fence. He stormed over to the neighbor's house, his face red with anger. He shouted at the neighbor, accusing him of being selfish and inconsiderate. The neighbor, taken aback by Jack's outburst, tried to reason with him, but Jack was not interested in hearing anything the neighbor had to say.

As Jack walked away, he was seething with anger. He couldn't believe that the neighbor had the audacity to build a fence that ruined his view. He was so angry that he didn't notice the tree root in his path, and he stumbled, falling to the ground.

Lying there, Jack had a moment of clarity. He realized that his anger was consuming him, that it was making him blind to the beauty of the world around him. He also realized that his anger was causing him to act irrationally and to hurt those around him.

In that moment, Jack decided to let go of his anger. He got up, dusted himself off, and walked back to his house. As he watched the sunset, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. He realized that life was too short to hold onto anger and bitterness, and that he needed to focus on the things that truly mattered.

This story illustrates the danger of anger and how it can consume us, leading us to act in ways that are harmful to ourselves and those around us.

According to the Bible, Jonah was called by God to go and preach to the people of Nineveh, a city known for its wickedness and idolatry. However, Jonah was reluctant to go, and he fled in the opposite direction, boarding a ship bound for Tarshish.

The exact distance between Tarshish and Nineveh is uncertain, as the location of Tarshish itself is not definitively known. However, assuming that Tarshish was located in Spain, the distance between the two cities would have been thousands of miles, and traveling between them would have required crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Desert.

While sailing towards Tarshish a huge storm comes up and the sailors feel like they are going to die. They learn that Jonah is running from God so they toss him overboard.

A big fish swallowed him. He stayed in the belly of the fish for three days, and God finally had mercy and had the fish spit him out. Then, God came to him again and told him to go and warn Nineveh. This time Jonah did not argue; he went and preached for three days, and all the people repented and God did not destroy the city as in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The ending of this encounter is really strange. We are left with Jonah sitting in the desert angry that the plant that had been providing him shade was dead. He was angry that the people of Nineveh had actually repented and turned to God.

I remember a young mom who kept asking the church to prayer for her husband that he would get saved. We prayed for him regularly. One Sunday the invitation was given and he went to the altar and was saved. Someone went to get his wife who was working with the children but she wouldn’t come down to rejoice with him. She made the statement that it wouldn’t last. How sad that she had prayed and asked the church to pray that he would get saved and when he did she couldn’t or wouldn’t rejoice in it.

There are three things we can take away from the story of Jonah. They are the heart of God for the lost, the condition of our hearts, and lastly, the hearts of the lost.

The heart of God for the lost

The reason Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh is not explicitly stated in the Bible. However, it is believed that there were several factors that may have contributed to Jonah's reluctance to go:

Fear: Nineveh was a powerful and wicked city, and Jonah may have feared for his safety if he went there to preach. He may have also feared that his message would be rejected or that he would be seen as a traitor to his own people.

Prejudice: The Ninevites were not Jews, and Jonah may have harbored prejudice and resentment towards them. He may have believed that they were unworthy of God's mercy and that they deserved to be punished for their sins.

Disobedience: Jonah may have simply been disobedient to God's call. He may have felt that his own plans and desires were more important than following God's will.

Whatever the reason, Jonah's disobedience led to a series of events that eventually led him to repent and fulfill God's call.

Jonah 4:11 CEB

11 Yet for my part, can’t I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than one hundred twenty thousand people who can’t tell their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”

God reminds Jonah of His concern for the people of Nineveh, even though they were a pagan and wicked people. God cares for all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or background. As Christians, we are called to share this concern and love for all people, just as God does.

I think we often think of the Old Testament being more concerned about the wrath and anger of God. A search shows that the Hebrew word that is often translated "love" or "steadfast love," appears over 200 times in the Old Testament.

God loves lost people. The prophet Ezekiel wrote Ezekiel 18:23

Ezekiel 18:23 CEB

23 Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Certainly not! If they change their ways, they will live.

God loves all people. Peter wrote 2 Peter 3:9 “9 The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives.”

Imagine a wealthy businessman who is known for his generosity and kindness. One day, he comes across a homeless person begging for money on the street. This homeless person has a troubled past, with a history of drug addiction and criminal behavior. Despite this, the businessman feels a deep sense of compassion for the person and decides to offer him a job at his company, along with a place to live and access to resources that can help him overcome his struggles.

The wealthy businessman's actions mirror the heart of God, who is willing to extend love and compassion to all people, regardless of their sins or background. Just as the businessman saw beyond the homeless person's past and recognized his potential for redemption and transformation, God looks at each person with love and sees their potential for growth and renewal.

I feel that we often loose sight of the fact that no one is beyond God's love and grace, and that His heart is full of compassion for all people, no matter what they have done or where they come from.

Imagine a group of hikers who set out on a long trek through a dense forest. After several days, they realize they have become hopelessly lost. As they wander aimlessly, they begin to run low on food and water, and the group becomes more and more discouraged.

But then, imagine that a rescue team shows up. The rescuers are well-equipped and experienced, and they know exactly how to get the lost hikers out of the woods safely. They have maps, compasses, and all kinds of tools to help them navigate the terrain. They even have food and water to share with the lost hikers.

Now, imagine that instead of being relieved and grateful, the lost hikers refuse to follow the rescue team. They insist that they can find their own way out of the forest, even though they are hopelessly lost and have no idea how to get out. They reject the help of the rescue team and continue to wander aimlessly.

This is similar to the way that God feels about the lost. He sees us wandering aimlessly in the wilderness of sin and death, and He offers us a way out through His Son, Jesus Christ. He offers us salvation, forgiveness, and new life, but it is up to us to accept His offer and follow Him. Like the rescue team, God is well-equipped to guide us out of the darkness and into the light. He knows the way, and He offers us all the resources we need to make it out safely. The question is whether we will trust Him and follow His lead, or whether we will stubbornly insist on finding our own way and remain lost in the wilderness.

The condition of our hearts

The book of Jonah not only highlights God's heart for the lost, but also the condition of Jonah's own heart. Despite being a prophet of God, Jonah's heart was hardened toward the people of Nineveh and he was reluctant to share God's message of repentance with them.

This theme is echoed throughout the Bible, which frequently emphasizes the importance of having a soft, repentant heart before God. In the Old Testament, King David wrote in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." In the New Testament, Jesus taught in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Jonah was so engrossed in self-pity that he could not rejoice that his message was not only recieved, but that the people actually responded to it.

Jonah 4:1 CEB

1 But Jonah thought this was utterly wrong, and he became angry.

Jonah had put himself in place of God and he was judging the people and their response to their call to repent. Judgementalism is deadly for the person who is doing the judging.

Judgementalism can be a sign of a heart that is not in the right condition. When we judge others harshly, we are often doing so out of a sense of self-righteousness or a desire to elevate ourselves above others.

Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5 said “1 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 You’ll receive the same judgment you give. Whatever you deal out will be dealt out to you. 3 Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye? 5 You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye.”

He is warning us against judging others, reminding us that we are all sinners and that we should focus on our own shortcomings before pointing out the flaws of others.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 also teaches us that love is patient and kind, and that it does not boast or dishonor others.

If we are constantly judging and criticizing others, it may be a sign that our hearts are not in the right condition. We may need to take a step back and examine our own motives and attitudes, seeking God's forgiveness and help to change. By doing so, we can grow in our ability to love and serve others without being held back by our own judgementalism.

Look back at verse 6 of chapter 1. Jonah was on that ship and he went below and went to sleep. Jonah 1:6

Jonah 1:6 CEB

6 The ship’s officer came and said to him, “How can you possibly be sleeping so deeply? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps the god will give some thought to us so that we won’t perish.”

This is the unfortunate state of affairs that we have discovered in the church. People are drowning much like they did at the time of Noah, and they are pleading with us to pray to your God on their behalf so that we might be saved.

On the other hand, as a result of our preoccupation with a great number of things, we are unable to hear the screams of the lost. We have no choice but to get to our feet and pray to God for the safety of those people. It is our responsibility to share the good news with them.

This leads us to the final point.

The Hearts of the Lost

As we look at the Bible, we see that God has a deep concern for those who are lost and in need of salvation. In both the Old and New Testaments, we see God's heart for the lost, and his desire to see them come to repentance and faith in him.

One of the most well-known passages in the New Testament that speaks to this is John 3:16-17, which says:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

This passage illustrates God's heart for the lost and his desire to save them from their sins. It also shows that salvation is available to all people, regardless of their background or past mistakes.

Isaiah 55:1–2 CEB

1 All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money, come, buy food and eat! Without money, at no cost, buy wine and milk! 2 Why spend money for what isn’t food, and your earnings for what doesn’t satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest of feasts.

The idea that people are hungry for salvation and deliverance is a powerful and profound concept that runs throughout the Bible. From the Israelites in bondage in Egypt to the people of Nineveh in Jonah's time, people have always been looking for a way out of their difficult circumstances and a way to connect with God.

Hunger for salvation and deliverance is universal: Throughout the world, people of all cultures and backgrounds have a deep-seated desire to find meaning and purpose in life, and to be delivered from the challenges and struggles that they face. This desire is not unique to any one group or nation, but is a fundamental aspect of human nature.

The hunger for salvation and deliverance is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ: The Bible teaches that the ultimate fulfillment of our hunger for salvation and deliverance is found in Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and through Him we can be reconciled to God and experience true freedom and joy.

We are called to share the good news of salvation and deliverance with others: As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to share the good news of salvation and deliverance with those around us. This includes sharing the gospel message with those who have never heard it, as well as helping others to experience the freedom and deliverance that comes through a relationship with Jesus.

Acts 4:12 “12 Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.””

We all have people in our life that make us feel like there is no hope. We have attempted to talk to them, threaten them, and even beg them. A few of them cheated us, misled us, and caused us significant harm. We are powerless to resist the urge to give up on them. However, it is possible that they are prepared for salvation and deliverance just as we are on the verge of giving up.

The story ends with Jonah sitting in the son having a pity party for himself. What are you to take from this?

God loves lost people. On a more personal level, the Book of Jonah compels us to examine the power dynamic that exists between ourselves and God. What is it that God has called each one of us to be or do that pits us against Him in a battle of wills? Why have we been unable to face the obstacles of obedience that come with our own inner spiritual growth or our vocation to ministry? Where exactly are we at this very moment? Are we currently in the city of Tarshish, where we can hide, or Nineveh, where we will obey?

“Where are we as a congregation? Back at Gath-hepher, are you still having trouble responding to God's call? Snoozing away in the hull of the ship? In the depths, where we are attempting to appease God so that we can continue with our plans? Or have we arrived at our Tarshish and mistakenly believe that we are in Nineveh? There is no situation that is more disastrous for a congregation than one in which its members have the mentality of Tarshish when they are in Nineveh. The issue that has to be answered is "Do we love the people of Nineveh?"

Every time that liberating message is shared, it needs to be paired with a call to ministry for all members, encouraging them to become disciples of hope rather than controlling religious people who refuse to witness in Nineveh. (1)

As we close, I want to remind you of the incredible love that God has for you. He knows you intimately and desires to draw you close to Himself. No matter what you've done or where you've been, His love and grace are available to you today. So I invite you to respond to God's love and grace, and to seek to follow Him with all your heart.

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for your amazing love and compassion, and for the way that you seek after us even when we're lost and wandering. We pray that you would fill us with your Spirit and guide us as we seek to follow you. Bless each person here today and help us to experience your love in a deeper way. In Jesus' name, Amen."

(1) paraphrase Ogilvie, L. J., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1990). Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (Vol. 22, p. 450). Thomas Nelson Inc.